Meet Braylon Michael Howland!!!!
Meet Kaden Darold Howland!!!! 
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I can see clearly now!!!!
Last Thursday I went to the eye doctor for my annual eye exam. I really debated whether or not it was worth having an eye exam since visual changes are common with pregnancy and usually correct themselves after birth and/or breast feeding.
Over the past couple of months I noticed my vision had been getting progressively worse. To the point I was starting to avoid driving out of town at night because I did not feel I could see well enough to be a safe driver. It was during a trip back from Spokane last month that Bryan convinced me that, yes; I did need to get my eyes checked.
During my eye exam they discovered my vision had regressed significantly, which was a shock to everyone since I had a form of Lasik eye surgery about 4 years ago. The doctor stated that he had never seen someone’s vision get this bad with pregnancy and it was not safe for me to be driving without glasses. I asked if it could be related to the fact that I am pregnant with twins, but he did not think that twinning vs. a singleton pregnancy should make that big of a difference.
My vision ended up being bad enough that I have to wear glasses for the rest of my pregnancy and most likely while breastfeeding. He wants me to follow-up with him a couple months after I deliver and possibly again after I am finished breastfeeding to make sure I will not need a touch up on my Lasik, but he still feels that it is related strictly to pregnancy.
My glasses arrived yesterday and there is a big difference. I will post pictures soon.
Over the past couple of months I noticed my vision had been getting progressively worse. To the point I was starting to avoid driving out of town at night because I did not feel I could see well enough to be a safe driver. It was during a trip back from Spokane last month that Bryan convinced me that, yes; I did need to get my eyes checked.
During my eye exam they discovered my vision had regressed significantly, which was a shock to everyone since I had a form of Lasik eye surgery about 4 years ago. The doctor stated that he had never seen someone’s vision get this bad with pregnancy and it was not safe for me to be driving without glasses. I asked if it could be related to the fact that I am pregnant with twins, but he did not think that twinning vs. a singleton pregnancy should make that big of a difference.
My vision ended up being bad enough that I have to wear glasses for the rest of my pregnancy and most likely while breastfeeding. He wants me to follow-up with him a couple months after I deliver and possibly again after I am finished breastfeeding to make sure I will not need a touch up on my Lasik, but he still feels that it is related strictly to pregnancy.
My glasses arrived yesterday and there is a big difference. I will post pictures soon.
Monday, January 18, 2010
6 months and counting!!!!!
We are officially 6 month into our pregnancy. Yippee!!! As time passes, it gets a little harder to do some of my daily activities. Even getting dressed can be a chore some days. Although I think I have forgotten what it was like to not be pregnant, I am excited to be closer to being able to bend over to tie my shoes again, do things around the house without feeling short of breath, sleep on my back and stomach again, and not have to wear all the contraptions to make me comfortable such as a support belt and compression stockings.
We are also excited that we only have to make it 10 more weeks to be able to have the babies here at St. Joes. Our doctor has a very good reputation for getting twin pregnancies close to or even to term, but this also means she is very strict when it comes to stopping work early or bed rest if need be. I am hoping and trying everything in my power to avoid this because I think I would go crazy spending that much time at home with no babies but I will do whatever is best for these little guys growing in my belly.
We had another appointment last Monday. I got in a little bit of trouble because my blood pressure was pretty high again. It was in the 140's/100's. So I got escorted to the room and parked on my left side until the doctor came in. The nurse said, "This is your spot, you stay put". When the doctor rechecked it, it was back to normal. I am not sure why, but every other appointment my blood pressure seems to spike and then it goes back to normal. I keep telling Bryan it's his fault because both times it has happened it has been at the appointments he couldn't make it to, although, that’s not really what I think is the cause. I guess it's not really a concern since it seems to go back to normal and when they test my urine it is always "perfect".The doctor did another little ultrasound and she said everything was looking great. There is plenty of fluid around both babies, their heartbeats are at a normal rate, and they look about equal in size. This time they had decided to move clear down by my bladder and practically lay on top of each other. I like that they enjoy being close to each other, but I don't enjoy the constant urge to use the bathroom.
We are scheduled for another "big" ultrasound on the 25th of this month to measure for growth and development. These ultrasounds are usually a little more entertaining because they last longer and we get to see the babies interact with each other, which is pretty comical at times. It is difficult to lie on the stretcher bed for that long though. It takes about 45 minutes per baby.It is very important with twin pregnancies to be sure that both babies are growing at the same rate. Sometimes one baby will over power the other twin’s nutrient supply and not allow that twin to grow at the same rate. This is less likely in our pregnancy because I have two placentas which means each baby has their own separate supply, but it is standard to do ultrasounds more frequently with twins.
This past weekend I got to take a much needed mini-vacation with my parents to visit my brother in Whitefish, Montana. It was great to get to spend a whole weekend with my family and get out of town. Whitefish is beautiful! It was the perfect little vacation for a pregnant girl. The only difficult parts where when I got sick after dinner the first night, the babies apparently do not like BBQ, and the last stretch of the ride home. It was very relaxing and fun. We didn't get home until late last night so stayed the night in Orofino and drove back to Lewiston this morning. When I opened the door to our house I noticed flowers on the table and after my eyes adjusted to the light I noticed the whole living room had been repainted a beautiful taupe color and all the furniture was back in place like it had never been touched. After giving me time to take it all in, Bryan told me to close my eyes and led me to the babies room and when I opened my eyes I found a painted nursery with new closet doors and furniture together. Bryan and his family had spent the weekend painting while I was away. Brenda had even taken the time to double roll one of the walls for an accent wall and Bryan replaced the old TV stand with our new entertainment center. I absolutely love it and I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and family. It was a very special weekend for sure.
We are also excited that we only have to make it 10 more weeks to be able to have the babies here at St. Joes. Our doctor has a very good reputation for getting twin pregnancies close to or even to term, but this also means she is very strict when it comes to stopping work early or bed rest if need be. I am hoping and trying everything in my power to avoid this because I think I would go crazy spending that much time at home with no babies but I will do whatever is best for these little guys growing in my belly.
We had another appointment last Monday. I got in a little bit of trouble because my blood pressure was pretty high again. It was in the 140's/100's. So I got escorted to the room and parked on my left side until the doctor came in. The nurse said, "This is your spot, you stay put". When the doctor rechecked it, it was back to normal. I am not sure why, but every other appointment my blood pressure seems to spike and then it goes back to normal. I keep telling Bryan it's his fault because both times it has happened it has been at the appointments he couldn't make it to, although, that’s not really what I think is the cause. I guess it's not really a concern since it seems to go back to normal and when they test my urine it is always "perfect".The doctor did another little ultrasound and she said everything was looking great. There is plenty of fluid around both babies, their heartbeats are at a normal rate, and they look about equal in size. This time they had decided to move clear down by my bladder and practically lay on top of each other. I like that they enjoy being close to each other, but I don't enjoy the constant urge to use the bathroom.
We are scheduled for another "big" ultrasound on the 25th of this month to measure for growth and development. These ultrasounds are usually a little more entertaining because they last longer and we get to see the babies interact with each other, which is pretty comical at times. It is difficult to lie on the stretcher bed for that long though. It takes about 45 minutes per baby.It is very important with twin pregnancies to be sure that both babies are growing at the same rate. Sometimes one baby will over power the other twin’s nutrient supply and not allow that twin to grow at the same rate. This is less likely in our pregnancy because I have two placentas which means each baby has their own separate supply, but it is standard to do ultrasounds more frequently with twins.
This past weekend I got to take a much needed mini-vacation with my parents to visit my brother in Whitefish, Montana. It was great to get to spend a whole weekend with my family and get out of town. Whitefish is beautiful! It was the perfect little vacation for a pregnant girl. The only difficult parts where when I got sick after dinner the first night, the babies apparently do not like BBQ, and the last stretch of the ride home. It was very relaxing and fun. We didn't get home until late last night so stayed the night in Orofino and drove back to Lewiston this morning. When I opened the door to our house I noticed flowers on the table and after my eyes adjusted to the light I noticed the whole living room had been repainted a beautiful taupe color and all the furniture was back in place like it had never been touched. After giving me time to take it all in, Bryan told me to close my eyes and led me to the babies room and when I opened my eyes I found a painted nursery with new closet doors and furniture together. Bryan and his family had spent the weekend painting while I was away. Brenda had even taken the time to double roll one of the walls for an accent wall and Bryan replaced the old TV stand with our new entertainment center. I absolutely love it and I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and family. It was a very special weekend for sure.
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